CS APPENDIX A-P

Acronyms and Glossary of ORS/CSS Terms

02/98 Revised 09/04/24 Training Completed 09/18/24 Last Reviewed 10/03/24

U.C.A. 35A-3-112, 63G-4; 42 U.S.C. 654b, 657

Acronyms and Glossary

This section contains a list of acronyms and definitions of terms commonly used within the Office of Recovery Services/Child Support Services (ORS/CSS). This list does not include every acronym or term.

1. Account Card – A card that lists payments received by ORS/CSS before October 1980.

2. Accrued Arrears – Arrears that are not specified in a court or administrative order, but which accrue due to a nonpayment of support. Accrued arrears are fully enforceable and automatically become a judgment on the date that the unpaid support is due.

3. ACF – Administration for Children and Families. The agency in the Department of Health and Humans Services (DHHS) that houses the Federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSS).

4. Adjudication – The entry of a judgment, decree, or order by a judge or other decision-maker such as a master, referee, presiding officer, or hearing officer based on the evidence submitted by the parties.

5. Adjudicated (ordered) Father – A male who, through a judicial or administrative legal proceeding resulting in an order, has been established as the father of a child.

6. Adjudicative Proceeding – An action that is part of the Utah Administrative Procedures Act (UAPA). The procedures or ORS adjudicative proceedings are described in UAPA and in ORS rule.

7. Administrative Hearing – An adjudicative proceeding under UAPA that takes place before an administrative law judge or hearing officer at the Department’s Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH).

8. Administrative Process – The Department’s legal system for establishing and enforcing obligations. Orders established under the administrative process are final unless an appeal to a judicial court overturns it.

9. Administrative Procedure – Method by which support orders are made and enforced by an executive agency rather than by courts and judges. ORS/CSS is the agency in the State of Utah that is authorized to establish administrative child support orders.

10. Administrative Review – An informal proceeding that is conducted by the responsible ORS/CSS agent when a party contests an administrative action.

11. Administrative Rules – State regulations that have the force and effect of law.

12. AEI – Automated Administrative Enforcement of Intergovernmental Cases. Provision in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) giving states the ability to locate, place a lien on, and seize financial assets of delinquent noncustodial parents (NCPs) across state lines.

13. AFDC – Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Former entitlement program that made public assistance payments on behalf of children who did not have the financial support of one of their parents by reason of death, disability, or continued absence from the home. Also known in many states as ADC (Aid to Dependent Children). This terminology was replaced with Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996.

14. AG – Attorney General. The legal representative for the State of Utah. Synonymous with the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).

15. Age of Majority – By statute, the age of majority in the State of Utah is eighteen. However, a minor may also obtain majority by marriage or by becoming a member of the armed forces of the United States.

16. Agency Action – Any administrative action taken by ORS/CSS under the provisions of UAPA or through related rules or procedures, such as service of a Notice of Agency Action (NAA) to establish a child support obligation.

17. AIS – Automated Information System. A telephone answering/information system used to give callers information ORS and their cases.

18. Alert – System alerts created by the ORS Information System (ORSIS) to notify workers of an action that must be taken on a case or of new information regarding a case. There are three types of system alerts:

a. Action (A);

b. View information (V); and,

c. Informational (I).

19. Alleged Father – A male (not an adjudicated, declarant, or presumptive father), who has been named as the biological father of a child.

20. Arrearage or Arrears – Past due, unpaid support owed by the NCP. If the parent owes past-due support, s/he is said to be “in arrears”.

21. Assessment – The process used to determine an NCP’s ability to pay a monthly amount toward an arrears debt.

22. Assignment of Support Rights – The statutory procedure by which a person receiving public assistance turns over to the State any right to child support, including arrearages, paid by the NCP in exchange for receipt of a cash assistance grant and other benefits. States can use a portion of said child support to defray or recoup the public assistance expenditure. Even if the applicant for benefits does not sign an assignment document, by law the assignment is in effect.

23. AT – Action Transmittal. Documents sent out as needed by the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) that instruct state child support programs on the actions they must take to comply with new and amended Federal laws. Has basis in Federal law and regulation.

24. AUO – Accruing under ordered child support arrears. When ordered current support is not paid during the ordered frequency period, the result is AUO.

25. AUS – Accruing under ordered spousal support arrears.

26. Bankruptcy – The formal condition of an insolvent person being declared bankrupt under law. Most of the debtor’s assets and debts are diverted to the administration of a third person, sometimes called a “trustee in bankruptcy” from which the debts are paid at a certain rate or percentage. Bankruptcy forces the debtor into a statutory period during which his/her commercial and financial affairs are administered under the strict supervision of the trustee. Bankruptcy erases most debts (except for child support and some other obligations) even if they were not satisfied by the sale of the debtor’s assets.

27. Bench warrant – An order issued by a judge when an individual disregards an order to appear for a court proceeding.

28. BET – Bureau of Electronic Technology. The bureau within ORS that monitors and maintains the software, hardware, and other electronic programs and devices used by ORS.

29. BFS – Bureau of Financial Services. The bureau within ORS that receives and disburses office collections, performs purchasing functions, pays vendors, prepares and administers agency budget.

30. Bills and Resolutions – Legislation introduced in the Utah House of Representatives or Senate. Bills and resolutions include:

a. Bills

i. House Bill (HB); and,

ii. Senate Bill (SB).

NOTE: Bills introduced in the U.S. House of Representative are “HR” bills.

b. Resolutions

i. House Concurrent Resolutions (HCR);

ii. House Joint Resolutions (HJR);

iii. House Resolution (HR);

iv. Senate Concurrent Resolutions (SCR);

v. Senate Joint Resolutions (SJR); and,

vi. Senate Resolutions (SR).

31. BMC – Bureau of Medical Collections. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) contracts with BMC (a bureau within ORS) to administer and manage the Medicaid Third-Party Liability verification, collection, cost avoidance, Estate Recovery, and TORT functions.

32. Bond – A sum of money or security to assure the performance of an agreed upon obligation.

33. Burden of Proof – The duty of a party to produce the greater weight of evidence on a point at issue.

34. Calendar – A computerized system within ORSIS used to schedule appointments for workers and teams.

35. Caretaker Other than Parent – An individual who is the custodian of the child(ren) but who is not the mother or father of the child(ren) (e.g., a grandparent). Also known as “legal guardian” or “specified relative”.

36. Case – In Utah, a case is a group of one or more participants associated with a particular set of ORS services, with a unique assigned case number. Every case has a record in ORSIS. Case records store case-related information, such as the case number, the case type, and a list of case participants. A case may involve zero, one, or more obligations. (See “Obligation”).

37. Case ID – Unique identification number assigned to a case.

38. Case Initiation – The first step in the child support enforcement process.

39. Case Law – Law established by the history of judicial decisions in cases.

40. Case Types – The case types used in ORSIS are:

a. CHFR – Check Fraud;

b. DSPD – Division of Services for People with Disabilities;

c. FSTR – Foster Care;

d. HCLM – Health Claim;

e. IVDS – IV-D Child Support;

f. LIEN – Liens;

g. MAOS – Medical Assistance Only Spenddown;

h. MDRP – Medical Expenses Parent Responsible;

i. MEDL – Medicaid Lien;

j. MEDR – Medicaid Reimbursement;

k. NIVD – Non IV-D Support;

l. NRHM – Nursing Home;

m. OPMT – Overpayment;

n. PRBT – Probate;

o. REST – Restitution;

p. SSIC – Supplemental Security Income;

q. TORT – Tort;

r. TPLF – TPL File Maintenance;

s. USDC – Utah State Developmental Center;

t. USHC – State Hospital;

u. VETS – Veterans Administration; and,

v. YCOR – Youth Corrections.

41. CCPA – Consumer Credit Protection Act. Federal law that limits the amount that may be withheld from earnings to satisfy child support obligations. States are allowed to set their own limits provided they do not exceed the Federal limits. Regardless of the number of withholding orders that have been served, the maximum that may be withheld for child support is:

a. Without arrearage

1. 50% with a second family.

2. 60% Single.

b. With Arrearage

1. 55% with a second family and 12+ weeks in arrears.

2. 65% Single 12+ weeks in arrears.

42. CEJ – Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction to modify a support order. The doctrine that only one support order should be in effect and enforceable between the same parties at any one time, and that when a particular court has acquired jurisdiction to determine child support and custody, it retains authority to amend and modify its orders therein.

43. CFR – Code of Federal Regulations – Section 45, Public Welfare IV-A and IV-D. Contains federal requirements for the IV-D child support program administered by ORS/Child Support Services (CSS).

44. Check Fraud – Illegal deception that occurs when lost or stolen DHHS checks are later cashed by the recipient or others. Internal referrals create a Check Fraud case.

45. Child Support – Financial support paid by a parent to help support a child(ren) of whom they do not have physical custody. Child support can be entered into voluntarily or ordered by the court of a properly empowered administrative agency, depending on each state’s laws.

46. Child Support Pass-Through – Provision by which at least $50.00 from a child support payment collected on behalf of a public assistance recipient (CP) is disbursed directly to the CP. PRWROA legislation in 1996 eliminated the pass-through effective October 1, 1996. A few states have elected to retain the pass-through, paying it out of state funds, rather than Federal money. Also known as Child Support “Disregard”.

47. CIC – Children in Care. A program within CSS that collects child support on behalf of the children placed in the custody of the State of Utah (i.e., Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS), Juvenile Justice and Youth Services (JJYS), Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS), etc.).

48. CIU – Central Imaging Unit. This unit is responsible for receiving, imaging, and attributing all incoming mail and faxes from clients and ORS employees.

49. Civil Number – A number assigned by the District or Circuit Court Clerk to identify court legal actions.

50. Clerk of the Court – A representative of a court who is responsible for the maintenance of court records, including assigning dates and court numbers on legal orders.

51. Client – A term often used to refer to the recipient of a TANF grant or IV-D services.

52. CNS – Criminal Non Support. Child support cases referred by ORS/CSS to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) for criminal prosecution. This occurs when an NCP willingly and without just cause fails to provide support for his/her children.

53. Comment – Free-form text that is added to ORSIS to record or explain participant or case-level actions. Comments may be updated, but only the latest version of the comment will be saved.

54. Common Law – A body of law developed from judicial decisions or custom rather than legislative enactments.

55. Complainant – Person who seeks to initiate court proceedings against another person. In a civil case the complainant is the plaintiff. In a criminal case the complainant is the State.

56. Consumer Reporting Agency – Any person who, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly assembles or evaluates consumer credit information bearing on credit worthiness, standing, or capacity, for the purpose of furnishing consumer credit reports to third parties. Consumer reporting agencies are also known as “credit bureaus”. The three major credit reporting agencies are:

a. Equifax (ORS uses The Work Number, which is operated by Equifax);

b. Experian; and,

c. TransUnion (ORS uses TransUnion exclusively).

57. Cooperation – A condition of TANF eligibility whereby the recipient is required to cooperate with the child support agency in identifying and locating the NCP, establishing paternity, and/or obtaining child support payments.

58. Court Order – A legally binding edict issued by a court of law. Issued by a magistrate, judge, or properly empowered administrative officer. A court order related to child support can dictate how often, how much, what kind of support an NCP is to pay, how long he or she is to pay it, and whether an employer must withhold support from their wages.

59. Cost Avoidance – An ORS program on behalf of Health Care Financing that reviews certain medical claims to determine whether or not a recipient had health insurance. If the claim is covered by the participant’s insurance, ORS denies the claim back to the health care provider. The provider is then instructed to submit the claim to the participant’s insurance company for payment.

60. CP – Custodial Parent. The person who has primary care, custody, and control of the child(ren). Also referred to as the “obligee”. CIC cases do not have an obligee or CP. State agencies are the recipients of the services but are not listed on the case.

61. Credit Bureau – See “Consumer Reporting Agency”.

62. CRU – Central Registry Unit. A centralized unit maintained by every State IV-D agency that is responsible for receiving, distributing, and responding to inquiries about intergovernmental cases.

63. CSE – Child Support Enforcement Agency. Agencies that exist in every state that locates NCPs or alleged (putative) fathers, establishes, enforces, and modifies child support, and collects and distributes child support money. Operated by the state or local government according to the Child Support Enforcement Program guidelines as set forth in Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. Also known as a “IV-D Agency”.

64. CSENet – Child Support Enforcement Network. State-to-State telecommunication network which transfers detailed information between States’ automated child support enforcement systems.

65. CSS – Child Support Services. Administers the IV-D full-range child support program for DHHS/ORS. This includes:

a. Locating NCPs;

b. Establishing paternity and a child support order;

c. Initiating income withholding;

d. Enforcing child support and medical support provisions; and,

e. Enforcing intergovernmental cases.

NOTE: This also includes Children in Care programs, IV-D and IV-E.

66. CSU – Customer Services Unit. A child support unit within ORS that responds to questions and concerns regarding CPs’ and NCPs’ cases and accounting status. Duties include:

a. Requesting payments, refunds, transfers, and accounting judgments; and,

b. Maintaining the third-party employer file.

67. Current Support – Support that is owed for the current month. Also known as “ongoing support”.

68. Custody Order – Legally binding determination that establishes with whom a child shall live. The meaning of different types of custody terms (e.g., Joint Custody, Shared Custody, Split Custody) vary from state to state.

69. DCFS – Division of Child and Family Services.

70. DCL – Dear Colleague Letter. Documents from OCSS that provide state child support enforcement agencies information and clarification on federal child support requirements.

71. DD – Divorce Decree. The legal document that describes the terms of a divorce.

72. Debt – A debt is the amount of money an NCP owes, as specified in an obligation, or that accrues as a result of an obligation. On ORSIS, a debt cannot exist on its own. Examples of debts include:

a. Current child support;

b. Current spousal support;

c. Accruing arrears;

d. Sum-certain judgments; and,

e. Fees.

73. Debt Group – One or more debts that are grouped together by category, related to the type of assistance received by the parties. For example, a child support case may include a Non-IV-A debt group, but CIC cases may include the IV-E debt group.

74. Debt Roll – The debt rollover program within ORSIS takes the information from an eREP case and attempts to automatically update debt information for the corresponding ORSIS case. At the time the “IN” or the “OUT” (participant has gone on or off IV-A cash assistance) information is received from eREP, ORSIS determines if the current support debt needs to roll.

75. Declarant Father – A man who, along with the biological mother, has signed a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity by Parents (VDP) and thereby declared that he is the biological father of a child.

76. Decree – The judicial decision of litigated action, usually in “equitable” cases such as divorce (as opposed to cases in law in which judgments are entered).

77. Default – The failure of a defendant or respondent to file an answer or appear in a legal action within a prescribed time after having been properly served with a summons and complaint or administrative notice.

78. Defendant – The person against whom a civil criminal proceeding is begun.

79. Dependent – A child who is under the care of someone else. Most children who are eligible to receive child support must be a dependent. The child ceases to be a dependent when they reach the “age of emancipation” as determined by state law, but depending on the state’s provisions, may remain eligible for child support for a period after they are emancipated.

80. DHHS –

a. United States Department of Health and Human Services; or,

b. Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services. This is the department to which ORS belongs.

81. Direct Income Withholding – A procedure whereby an income withholding order can be sent directly to the NCP’s employer in another state, without the need to use the IV-D Agency or court system in the NCP’s state. This triggers withholding unless the NCP contests, and no pleadings or registration are required.

82. Disbursement – A payment issued to a CP or other payee on an ORS case.

83. Disclosure Prohibited Notice – A notice that the FCR is required to send to a party that has requested locate information stating that the information cannot be disclosed because the person being sought has a family violence indicator (FVI) on either a IV-D case or a non IV-D order in the FCR.

84. Disposable Income – The portion of an employee’s earnings that remains after deductions required by law (e.g., taxes) and that is used to determine the amount of an employee’s pay subject to a garnishment, attachment, or child support withholding order.

85. Disposition – The court’s decision of what should be done about a dispute that has been brought to its attention. For instance, the disposition of the court may be that child support is ordered or an obligation is modified.

86. Distribution – The automatic allocation of child support payments received by ORS/CSS to the various types of debt within a child support case. Payments must be distributed according to 42 U.S.C. 654b and 657.

87. DMV – Department of Motor Vehicles.

88. DOB – Date of Birth.

89. Docket – A list of orders and the actions associated with them. Within ORS, docketing refers to the act of logging administrative orders and related actions in a central file.

90. Duration of Judgment – Time period for collection of child support arrearages. The time period is the age of majority of the youngest child in the order, plus four years (majority plus four years).

91. DWS – Department of Workforce Services. Administers the state’s IV-A program along with employment services.

92. EDI – Electronic Data Interchange. Process by which information regarding an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) transaction is transmitted electronically.

93. Edit – The process of verifying or validating the information entered into a data field.

94. EDO – Executive Director’s Office within DHHS.

95. EDP – Electronic Data Processing.

96. EFT – Electronic Funds Transfer. Electronic transfer of support payments from CSS to the personal account of a CP, in lieu of checks. May also involve electronic transfer of payments to CSS from employers or other payors.

97. Enforcement – The application of remedies to obtain payment of a child support or medical support obligation contained in a child and/or spousal support order. Examples of remedies include:

a. Attachment of wages;

b. Seizure of assets;

c. Liens placed on assets, revocation of license (e.g., driver, business, medical, etc.); and,

d. Denial of U.S. passports.

98. eREP – Electronic Resource and Eligibility Product. System used by DWS that replaced the Public Assistance Case Management Information System (PACMIS) in 2010. The eREP system determines eligibility and issues benefits for over 60 federal and state programs, the largest being:

a. Medicaid;

b. Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps);

c. TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families); and,

d. Child Care.

99. eSHARE – Subsystem of eREP used by most authorized ORS agents. ORS Intake teams are currently the only teams that have access to eREP.

100. Establishment – The process of determining paternity and/or obtaining a court or administrative order to put a child support obligation in place.

101. Event – A description of an action related to a participant or case. When a significant action occurs on ORSIS, the system automatically creates an event. Events can also be generated by using the “Add Event” button on the 601 Event/Narrative Selection Screen.

102. EVS – Enumeration and Verification System. System used to verify and correct social security numbers (SSNs), and identify multiple SSNs, or participants in child support cases. Operated by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

103. External Locate Service – A source of locate information (that is not part of the FPLS) on an NCP who works for a Federal Agency.

104. FAD – Functional Activity Determination. In ORSIS, FAD is the automatic movement of a case from one function to another when the case meets specific criteria.

105. Fair Hearing – A hearing before a DHHS Administrative Hearing Office that is requested by an applicant/recipient of IV-A assistance to appeal a disqualification decision made by DWS.

106. Family Support Act – Law passed in 1988, with two major mandates:

a. Immediate wage withholding, unless courts find that there is good cause not to require such withholding, or there is a written agreement between both parties requiring an alternative arrangement; and,

b. Guidelines for Child Support Award Amounts that requires states to use guidelines to determine the amount of support for each family, unless they are rebutted by a written finding that states applying the guidelines would be inappropriate to the case.

107. FCR – Federal Care Registry of Child Support Orders. A national database of information on individuals in all IV-D cases, and all non IV-D orders entered or modified on or after October 1, 1998.

108. Federal Administrative Offset – The process used to attach an NCP’s federal income, such as wages or retirement.

109. Federal Tax Refund Offset Program – Program that collects past due child support amounts from NCPs through the interception of their Federal income tax refund, or an administrative payment, such as Federal retirement benefits. This program also incorporates the Passport Denial Program, which denies U.S. passports at the time of application when the applicant’s child support debts exceed $2,500.00. The Federal Tax Refund Offset Program is operated in cooperation with:

a. The Internal Revenue Service;

b. The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Management Service (FMS);

c. The U.S. Department of State; and,

d. State Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Agencies.

110. Fees – Charges to a participant for services provided. Includes:

a. Payment processing fees;

b. Fees for genetic testing;

c. NCP income withholding fees; and,

d. Federal tax intercept fee.

111. FEIN – Federal Employer Identification Number. Unique nine-digit number assigned to all employers by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which must be used in numerous transactions, including submitting data and responding to requests relevant to child support.

112. FEP – Family Employment Program (Utah’s version of TANF). Public assistance available to families. U.C.A. 35A-3-112 states:

“(1) Public assistance provided under this chapter is not assignable at law or in equity.

(2) None of the money paid or payable under this chapter is subject to:

(a) execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process; or

(b) the operation of bankruptcy or insolvency law.”

113. FFCCSOA – Full Faith and Credit for Child Support Orders Act. Law effective October 20, 1994 which requires states to enforce child support orders made by other states if:

a. The issuing state’s tribunal had subject matter jurisdiction to hear and resolve the matter and enter an order;

b. The issuing state’s tribunal had personal jurisdiction over the parties; and,

c. Reasonable notice and the opportunity to be heard were given to the parties.

114. Financial Adjustment – A change to the dollar amount appearing on an ORSIS debt.

115. Financial Institution – Includes any of the following entities (and similar entities) authorized to do business in any of the 54 states and territories:

a. Any national bank;

b. State bank;

c. District bank;

d. Trust company and any Federal branch and insured branch;

e. Any Federal and State savings associations;

f. Any Federal and State credit union, including an institution-affiliated party of such credit union;

g. Benefit association;

h. Insurance company;

i. Safe deposit company; and,

j. Money-market mutual fund.

116. FIPS Code – Federal Information Processing Standards Code. A code used to uniquely identify state agencies in Utah and in other states.

117. FMS – Financial Management Service under the United States Secretary of the Treasury. ORS/CSS sends cases to OCSS to match against IRS records in order to certify delinquent cases for Federal tax intercept. The certification match is reviewed by OCSS and forwarded to FMS.

118. Foster Care – Refer to IV-E below.

119. FPLS – Federal Parent Locate Service. An organization that provides locates information from federal sources. A computerized national location network operated by the OCSS.

120. Full Faith and Credit – Doctrine under which a state must honor an order or judgment entered in another state. For more information, refer to FFCCSOA above.

121. Functional Activity – The type of action that a case requires. The function names describe steps in the collections process. Each case can have a function and a sub-function, indicating the activities concurrently required on the case. A list of functional activities is provided below:

a. FUNCTIONS:

i. Administrative Enforcement (AENF) – Cases that require the initiation and monitoring of administrative enforcement actions are assigned to the Administrative Enforcement function.

ii. Collection (COLL) – Cases that require monitoring of scheduled payments are assigned to the Collection function.

iii. Intake (INTK) – Cases that require additional information or verification when first opened in order to proceed are assigned to the Intake function.

iv. Judicial Collection (JENC) – Cases that qualify for judicial enforcement actions and subsequently require monitoring of scheduled payments are assigned to the Judicial Collection function.

v. Judicial Enforcement (JENF) – Cases that may qualify for judicial enforcement actions are assigned to the Judicial Enforcement function for the initiation and monitoring of judicial enforcement actions.

vi. Locate only (LOCN) – Incoming intergovernmental referral cases that require “locate only” services are assigned to this function

vii. Obligation establishment (OEST) – Cases that require an order establishing a money obligation are assigned to the Obligation establishment function.

b. SUB-FUNCTIONS:

i. Genetic Testing (GENT) – Cases that require genetic testing to confirm an existing support order are assigned to Genetic Testing sub-function.

ii. Modification (MODF) – Cases in which an action to modify an administrative or judicial order is pending are assigned to the Modification sub-function.

iii. Obligation Establishment (OEST) – Cases that require an additional order establishing a money obligation for additional children are assigned to the Obligation establishment sub-function.

iv. Paternity (PTNY) – Cases that require paternity establishment for at least one child on the case are assigned to the Paternity sub-function.

122. FVI – Family Violence Indicator. A designation that resides in the Federal Case Registry (FCR) placed on a participant in a case or order by a state that indicates a person is associated with child abuse or domestic violence. It is used to prevent disclosure of the location of a custodial party and/or a child believed by the state to be at risk of family violence.

123. Garnishment – A legal action that allows the state to attach a portion of an NCP’s salary (after mandatory deductions) and apply it to his or her obligation.

124. Genetic Testing – Tests done on DNA samples taken from the mother, alleged father, and child to determine the probability of parentage of the child.

125. Good Cause – On a child support case, a CP has the right to claim “good cause” for not cooperating with ORS/CSS in identifying the alleged father or NCP and obtaining support when there is a probability of physical or emotional harm to the CP, child, or caretaker relative. DWS determines good cause.

126. Child in Care Good Cause Waiver – On a CIC case, the state agency which is the recipient of child support reimbursement (i.e., DCFS, JJYS, DHHS) may opt to submit a waiver of child support payments on current arrears balances made through CIC if collections interfere with family reunification or when the support creates an undue hardship.

127. Grant Reduction – A reduction in a participant’s financial grant. The reduction amount is used to pay back an overpayment. Also known as a recoupment.

128. Guidelines – An income shares formula in the law that is used to determine the child support obligation of the parents. Also known as Uniform Child Support Guidelines. All states must have a similar law for setting child support obligations.

129. HB – House Bill. For more information on House Bills, refer to Bills and Resolutions above.

130. Health Care Financing – An agency within the Department of Health that administers the Medicaid program.

131. HLA – Human Leukocyte Antigen test. A blood test that may be used to determine the probability of parentage.

132. IM –

a. Information Memorandum. Documents from OCSS that provide state child support enforcement agencies with information on program practices that can be useful to program improvement.

b. Instant Messaging.

133. Immediate Wage Withholding – An automatic deduction from income that starts as soon as the agreement for support is established.

134. Imputed Income – Assigned earnings to a parent based upon the parent’s employment potential and probable earnings, when it is known that the parent is not working and is not attempting to find work (voluntarily unemployed) or the parent is earning less than what he/she could reasonably earn (underemployed).

135. Income – Any periodic form of payment to an individual, regardless of source, including wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, worker’s compensation, disability, pension, or retirement program payments and interest. All income (except imputed income) is subject to income withholding for child support, pursuant to a child support order, but is protected by Consumer Credit Protection Act limits, both state and federal.

136. Income Withholding – A collection method in which a portion of an NCP’s/obligor’s income is withheld to satisfy a support obligation.

137. Initialize – The process where a program “blanks out” any previous data so that new data may be entered. The numerical data is set to zero and the alpha numeric data is set to blanks. In some instances, the program will load default values.

138. Initializing Jurisdiction (also known as an Initiating Agency) – The state, county court, or administrative agency that sends a request for action to another jurisdiction in intergovernmental child support cases. The requested action can include a request for wage withholding or for review and adjustment of existing child support obligations. In cases where a state is trying to establish an initial child support order on behalf of a resident CP, and they do not have long-arm jurisdiction (i.e., they cannot legally claim personal jurisdiction over a person who is not a resident), they must file a two-state action under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) guidelines.

139. Intercept – A method of securing child support by taking a portion of non-wage payments made to an NCP. Non-wage payments subject to interception include Federal tax refunds, State tax refunds, unemployment benefits, and disability benefits.

140. Interface – An automatic or tape information exchange between different computer systems.

141. Intergovernmental Cases – Cases in which the dependent child and NCP live in different states, or where two or more states are involved in some case activity, such as enforcement.

142. INTK – Intake.

143. IRS – Internal Revenue Service.

144. IV-A – Title IV, Part A of the Social Security Act. Financial assistance to needy families is administered under the IV-A section of the Social Security Act.

145. IV-A Cases – The CP is receiving public assistance benefits and the case is automatically referred to ORS/CSS to recoup the cost of the benefits from the NCP or defray future costs.

146. IV-A Participant – When a participant is a recipient of IV-A public assistance.

147. IV-D – Title IV, Part D of the Social Security Act: Child support services are administered under the IV-D section of the Social Security Act.

148. IV-D Cases – The CP is receiving child support services offered by state and local agencies. Such services include:

a. Locating an NCP or alleged father (AF);

b. Establishing paternity;

c. Establishing, modifying, and enforcing child support orders; and,

d. Collecting, distributing, and disbursing child support payments.

149. IV-D Participant – When a participant is a recipient of IV-D child support services.

150. IV-E – Title IV, Part E of the Social Security Act. Foster care is administered under the IV-E section of the Social Security Act.

151. IV-E Cases – The child(ren) is in the Child in Care (CIC) program and the case is automatically referred to ORS/CSS to recoup or defray the costs of foster care/youth corrections.

152. JJYS – Juvenile Justice and Youth Services.

153. Judgment-Lien – A document that is filed with the district court to place a lien on the NCP’s real or personal property, such as a house or car.

154. Judicial Remedies – A general designation for a court’s enforcement of child support obligations.

155. Jurisdiction – The legal authority which a court or administrative agency has over particular persons and over certain types of cases, usually in a defined geographical area.

156. Judicial Review – A formal review that takes place in a court.

157. LAN – Local Area Network. A local area computer network system that provides users with specialized functions and mainframe computer access.

158. Levy – To impose or collect by legal authority.

159. Lien – A lien establishes a legal claim against property and allows the property to be subject to enforcement action.

160. Lien-Levy – An administrative action to seize and attach financial assets to satisfy a past-due support obligation.

161. Litigation – A civil action in which a controversy is brought before the court.

162. Locate – Process by which an NCP or alleged father is found for the purpose of:

a. Establishing paternity;

b. Establishing and/or enforcing a child support obligation;

c. Establishing custody and visitation rights;

d. Processing adoption for foster care cases; and,

e. Investigating parental kidnapping.

163. Locate Information – Data used to locate an NCP or alleged father, which may include his/her:

a. Social security number (SSN);

b. Date of birth (DOB);

c. Residential address; and,

d. Employer.

164. Long-Arm Jurisdiction – A legal provision that permits one state to claim personal jurisdiction over someone who lives in another state. There must be some meaningful connection between the person and the state or district that is asserting jurisdiction in order for a court or agency to reach beyond its normal jurisdictional border. If a Long-Arm Statute is not in effect between two states, then the case’s home state must undertake a Two-State Action under UIFSA guidelines for certain actions, such as establishing a support order in which the NCP is not a resident.

165. Majority Plus Four Years – Enforcement of a child support order may be pursued at any time within four years after the date the youngest child in the order reaches majority.

166. MAO – Medical Assistance Only. A form of public assistance administered by a state’s IV-A program which provides benefits to recipients only in the form of medical, rather than financial assistance.

167. Means-tested Income – Government programs that require the recipient to meet certain income levels to qualify for the benefit. Means-tested programs include, but are not limited to:

a. IV-A services;

b. SSI;

c. VA Pensions;

d. Medicaid;

e. Food Stamps;

f. General Assistance;

g. Benefits received under a housing subsidy; or,

h. The Job Training Partnership Act.

168. Medicaid – A Public Assistance program that pays for medical services for eligible individuals.

169. Medicaid Fraud – Medicaid assistance that is illegally received.

170. Medical Support – An obligation to pay medical expenses or to maintain medical insurance for a participant’s dependent children.

171. MMIS – Medicaid Management Information System: A Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) computer system that automates Medicaid billings, claims, payments, and other services.

172. Motion – An application to the court requesting an order or rule in favor of the party that is filing the motion. Motions are generally made in reference to a pending action and may address a matter in the court’s discretion or concern a point of law.

173. MSFIDM – Multistate Financial Institution Data Match. Process created by PRWORA by which delinquent child support NCPs are matched with accounts held in Financial Institutions (FI) doing business in more than one state.

174. Multistate Employer – An organization that hires and employs people in two or more states. The multistate employer conducts business within each state and the employees are required to pay taxes in the state where they work. As with single-state employers, multistate employers are required by law to report all new hires to the SDNH operated by their state government. However, unlike single-state employers, they have the option to report all of their new hires to the SDNH of only one state in which they do business rather than to all of them.

175. NAA – Notice of Agency Action.

176. Narrative – An official case record, similar to legal notes, which must document all actions a worker takes on a case. They are a permanent text entered in ORSIS to record participant or case-level actions. They may be updated or deleted only on the same day they were entered and only by the same worker.

177. NCP – Noncustodial Parent. The parent who does not have primary care, custody, or control of the child, and has an obligation to pay child support. Also referred to as the “obligor”. Volume 2 will use the term NCP to refer to the obligated parent or parents based on the participant’s CASE RELATIONSHIP on a specific case. The “obligor” may not be the “parent” of the child on some CIC cases; therefore, Volume 2 will use “non-parent obligor” when discussing procedures that are different when the NCP/obligor is not a parent of the child on the case.

178. NDNH – National Directory of New Hires. Data on a new employee that employers must submit within 20 days of hire to the State Directory of New hires (SDNH) in the state in which they do business. This data is then submitted to the NDNH, where it is compared against child support order information contained in the FCR for possible enforcement of child support obligations by wage garnishment.

179. Net – The amount left after taxes and deductions are taken out.

180. NH – New Hire.

181. Non-AFDC – Now referred to as Non-IV-A. Also refer to AFDC above and Non-IV-A below.

182. Non-IV-A – A program within CSS that provides support services to applicants who are not receiving IV-A services. Also known as non-public assistance (when state assistance is not being provided to the family).

183. Non-IV-A Case – A support case in which the CP has requested IV-D services but is not receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). Also known as a Non-TANF case.

184. Non-IV-D Orders – A child support order handled by a private attorney as opposed to the state/local child support enforcement (IV-D) agency. A Non-IV-D order is one where the State:

1. Is not currently providing service under the State’s Title IV-A, Title IV-D, Title IV-E, or Title XIX programs.

2. Has not previously provided State service under any of these programs.

3. Has no current application fee for services paid by either parent.

A IV-D case may become a non IV-D order when:

· All child support arrearages previously assigned to the State have been paid; and/or,

· The parent(s) originally making application for a state’s IV-D services request(s) termination of IV-D services.

A non IV-D order can be converted into a IV-D case when the appropriate application and fees for IV-D services are paid by a parent, or when the CP begins receiving Title IV-A services for benefit of the child(ren).

185. Nondisclosure Finding – A finding that the health, safety, or liberty of a party or child would be unreasonably put at risk by disclosure of identifying information.

186. Non-Parent Obligor – On some CIC cases, the NCP or obligor may not be a parent. Therefore, Volume 2 will use “non-parent obligor” when discussing procedures that are different when the NCP/obligor is not a parent of the child on the case.

187. Non-Wage Garnishment – A legal action to attach property belonging to a person or entity that is in the possession of another, such as a financial institution.

188. NTW – Notice to Withhold. A document that instructs an NCP’s/obligor’s payor of income (i.e., employer) to withhold part of the income and send it to ORS to be applied to the support debts.

189. OAH – Office of Administrative Hearings. The office that conducts hearings, including fair hearings and administrative hearings, for parties who dispute administrative actions taken by DHHS. The hearings are conducted in accordance with generally accepted principles of administrative law and due process.

190. OAR – Office of Administrative Rules. The office that oversees the state’s administrative rulemaking procedures. For more information, refer to Administrative Rules above.

191. Obligated – A term meaning that an NCP is required to meet the financial terms of a court or administrative order.

192. Obligation – An obligation is the legal or administrative basis for a debt or the enforceable duty of a participant. The amount of money that is owed may be specified in a legal document, such as a divorce decree, administrative order or paternity order. An obligation may be the legal basis for one or more debts.

193. Obligee – A person (or entity) to whom a debt is owed or on behalf of whom a debt is assigned. May be an individual or a third party. An obligee may also be referred to as a “custodial parent”.

194. Obligor – A person (or entity) who owes money on a debt. An obligor may also be known as a “noncustodial parent” or “non-parent obligor”.

195. OCSS – Federal Office of Child Support Services. Created by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act in 1975, OCSS is responsible for:

a. The development of child support policy;

b. Oversight, evaluation, and audits of state child support enforcement programs; and,

c. Providing technical assistance and training to the state programs.

OCSS operates the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS), which includes the NDNH and the FCR. OCSS is part of the ACF, which is within DHHS.

196. Offset – Amount of money intercepted from a parent’s State or Federal income tax refund, or from an administrative payment such as Federal retirement benefits, in order to satisfy a child support debt.

197. Order – A legal document that specifies the amount of money that is owed by a participant or the enforceable duty of the participant.

198. Order to Show Cause – A legal procedure to compel a person to appear in court to show good cause why the court should not order a proposed remedy in the case.

199. ORS/CIC – Office of Recovery Services/Child in Care. A program that collects child support on behalf of children placed in the custody of the state (i.e., JJYS, DCFS, DHHS, etc.). Part of the child support services program.

200. ORS Client Index – A file containing basic information about participants in ORS-administered programs. It contains only one record for each participant, regardless of the number or programs in which the individual is participating. For more information, refer to Customer Directory above.

201. ORS/CSS – Office of Recovery Services/Child Support Services. The IV-D Child Support Services Program within ORS for the State of Utah.

202. ORSIS – Office of Recovery Services Information System. A computer system that automates the activities of the programs administered by ORS.

203. OSDC – Office of State Debt Collection. A Utah state agency that collects debts owed to other state agencies.

204. Overpayment – A financial, medical, or Food Stamps payment that exceeded the amount the participant was entitled to receive.

205. Participant – An individual or entity in which ORS has an interest. In ORSIS, every participant has his or her own record. Participant records store information such as name, the PID, and other information that applies to the participant independent of the case relationship for that participant on various cases.

206. Participation – The manner in which an NCP presents information in an adjudicative proceeding under UAPA. If the NCP is responding to an NAA, s/he may participate within 30 days of receipt of the notice by:

a. Attending a conference;

b. Calling on the telephone; or,

c. Writing a letter.

If the NCP participates but does not stipulate, s/he is not in default. An order based on his/her “participation” is issued rather than a default order.

207. Passport Denial Program – Program created by PRWORA that is operated under the auspices of the Federal Tax Refund Offset Program. Under the Passport Denial Program, NCPs with child support arrearages of at least $2,500.00 that have been submitted to OCSS for Tax Refund Offset are forwarded to the U.S. Department of State, which “flags” the NCP’s name and will not issue a passport in the event they apply for one. This program is automatic, meaning that any NCP that is eligible will be submitted to the State Department unless the state submitting the case for Tax Offset specifically excludes them from the Passport Denial Program.

208. Paternity Establishment – The legal determination of fatherhood by court order, administrative order, acknowledgment, or other method provided for under state law.

209. Payee – The individual (or entity) that is paid when funds are applied to a debt.

210. Payor – Person who makes a payment, usually NCPs or something acting on their behalf, or a custodial party who is repaying a receivable.

211. PCA – Private Collection Agency.

212. Pending Cases – Pending cases that are cases that are potentially closing.

213. Petitioner – The party who is filing the petition and bringing the action.

214. PID – Participant Identification. Formerly called the HLCI. The record number created in ORSIS for each participant. For more information, refer to Customer above. In eREP cases, a PID is Person Identification. eREP PID’s contain 9 digits, while an ORS PID will contain 10 digits (ORS adds another zero (0) to the beginning of the PID).

215. PIQ – Policy Interpretation Question. An official reply by OCSS to an inquiry submitted by a state child support agency concerning application of policy. Although questions often arise from a specific practice or situation, the responses are official statements of OCSS policy on the issue.

216. Plaintiff – A person who brings an action; the party who complains or sues in a civil case.

217. Pleadings – Statements or allegations, presented in logical and legal form, which constitute a plaintiff’s cause of action or a defendant’s grounds of defense.

218. PLS – Parent Locator Service. Locates absent parents within the state on incoming intergovernmental referrals and coordinates outgoing intergovernmental referrals which are sent to other states’ PLS units.

219. Present Household – The term used to define the members of an obligor’s present family. The present household may consist of a current spouse (who is not the parent of the child(ren) on the case in question) and any children that the obligor and current spouse have in common.

220. Presiding Officer – An individual who is designated by the agency head, by the agency’s rules, or by statute to conduct an adjudicative proceeding. Includes:

a. Senior Agents;

b. Managers;

c. Quality Assurance Specialists;

d. Directors;

e. Staff attorneys; and,

f. Administrative law judges.

In CIC, this also includes agents and Program Coordinators (PC) and was formerly referred to as the “Team Presiding Officer” and “Program Presiding Officer”. The presiding officer is not a representative for either of the parties in the proceeding and does not perform agent duties on the case.

221. Presumed Father – A man is presumed to be the father of a child if:

a. He and the other of the child were married to each other and the child was born during the marriage; or,

b. He and the mother of the child were married to each other and the child was born within 300 days after the marriage was terminated by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or divorce, or after a decree of separation.

222. Private Case – Known as a Non-IV-D case, it is a support case where the CP to whom child support is owed is not receiving IV-A benefits or IV-D services.

223. Proactive Matching – Process in which child support case data newly submitted to the FCR is automatically compared with previous submissions, as well as with the employment data in the NDNH. The resulting locate information is then returned to the appropriate state(s) for processing.

224. Probate – A legal process for determining the distribution of a deceased person’s estate.

225. Proceeding – The conduct of business before a judge or administrative hearing officer.

226. Process Service – Initiating and monitoring the activities related to documents served on a participant, business, or someone with information about a participant/case. Generally, service may be accomplished in person or by certified mail.

227. Provider – Persons, businesses, or institutions providing medical services to a Medicaid recipient.

228. PRWORA – Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. In addition to reforming “welfare”, it is the most significant piece of child support legislation since the U.S. Congress enacted the federal child support program in 1975. As a result of PWRORA, every state passed its own welfare reform legislation. Utah passed its welfare reform law in July, 1997. It was known as Senate Bill (SB) 64.

229. Public Assistance – State benefits, such as financial grants, Medicaid, child care and food stamps, which are provided to needy individuals or families who are found to be eligible for the benefits.

230. QA – Quality Assurance Specialist. Refer to Quality Assurance/Quality Control below.

231. QMCSO – Qualified Medical Child Support Order. An order, decree, or judgment, including approval of a settlement agreement, issued by a court or administrative agency of competent jurisdiction to provide medical support for a child of a participant under a group health plan or provide health benefit coverage for the child.

232. Quality Assurance/Quality Control – A process used to audit case work and office processes to ensure that ORS meets mandatory State and Federal procedures and timeframes and provides high quality services.

a. QA – Quality Assurance Specialist. ORS employees who assist the teams and regions where they are located by performing a variety of duties, including:

i. Administrative reviews;

ii. Audits;

iii. Managing Criminal Nonsupport (CNS) cases; and,

iv. Training.

233. Quasi-Judicial – A framework or procedure under the auspices of a state’s judicial branch in which court officers other than judges process, establish, enforce and modify support orders, usually subject to judicial review. The court officer may be a magistrate, a clerk, master, or court examiner. S/he may or may not have to be an attorney, depending on the state’s law.

234. Receipt – In general, a receipt is money received from or on behalf of the NCP. A cash receipt may be received in the form of a check, cash, money order, electronic fund transfer, computer tape, interdepartmental transfer (IDI), or credit card. The monies are banked or a transfer of funds is made between agencies.

235. Recipient – An individual who receives IV-A assistance, such as FEP.

236. Reciprocity – A relationship in which a state grants certain privileges to other states and/or foreign countries on the condition that they receive the same privilege.

237. Reconsideration – Review of an existing administrative order to determine whether the order should stand or be replaced with a new or modified order. A participating party to the order must request reconsideration within 20 days after the final order is issued and must state specific grounds for reconsideration.

238. Record –

a. In ORSIS: A group of data that is related to a specific person, place, or thing. For example, a participant record contains the person’s name, SSN, date of birth, and more. ORSIS usually displays records as rows on a list screen.

b. As defined in 45 CFR 301.1: “Record means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.”

239. Referral – A request sent to an IV-D agency from a Non-IV-D agent or agency asking that a child support case be established.

240. Refund – A warrant issued to an NCP or obligor who has overpaid an obligation. May also be issued to an unobligated spouse.

241. Respondent – A person against whom an adjudicative proceeding is initiated. This term is used in NAA’s and is defined in UAPA.

242. Responding Jurisdiction – The court or administrative agency with jurisdiction over an NCP or child support order on which an initiating agency has requested action.

243. Retained Support – Support monies paid directly to a public assistance recipient that should have been paid and/or reported to the State. Also, support monies paid directly to a former custodial parent by the noncustodial parent while the child was in the custody of the State.

244. Review and Adjustment – Process in which current financial information is obtained from both parties in a child support case and evaluated to decide if a support order needs to be adjusted.

245. Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act (RURESA) – Revised URESA law that sets forth reciprocal laws concerning the enforcement of child support between states.

246. Satisfaction of Award – A legal document confirming that a sum-certain judgment or judgment-lien is considered paid in full.

247. SB – Senate Bill. For more information on Senate Bills, refer to Bills and Resolutions above.

248. SCR – State Case Registry of Child Support Orders. A database maintained by each state that contains information on individuals in all IV-D cases and all non IV-D orders established or modified after October 1, 1998. In Utah, the SCR is ORSIS.

249. SDNH – State Directory of New Hires. A database maintained by each state that contains information regarding newly hired employees for the respective state. Employers are required to submit new hire data to the SDNH within 20 days of the hire date. In most states, the SDNH is contained in the State Parent Locator Service (SPLS), in others it is operated by the state’s State Employment Security Agency (SESA).

250. SDU – State Disbursement Unit. The single site in each state where all child support payments are processed.

251. Service of Process – The delivery of a writ or summons to a party for the purpose of obtaining jurisdiction over that party.

252. Service of Publication – Service of process accomplished by publishing a notice in a newspaper or by posting on a bulletin board of a courthouse or other public facility, after a court determines that other means of service are impractical or have been unsuccessful. This procedure is not legal in every state.

253. SESA – State Employment Security Agency. Agencies in each state that process unemployment insurance claims. They are also repositories of quarterly wage data, information on all employees submitted by employers, which they submit to the NDNH along with the unemployment insurance claim data. DWS is the SESA agency for the State of Utah.

254. Show Cause – A court order directing a person to appear and bring forth any evidence as to why the remedies stated in the order should not be confirmed or executed. A show cause order is usually based on a motion and affidavit asking for relief.

255. Single State Financial Institution Data Match – Process by which delinquent child support NCPs are matched with accounts held in Financial Institutions doing business in only one state.

256. Social Security Benefits –

a. SSDI – Social Security Disability Insurance. Paid to individuals who have a physical or mental impairment that is expected to prevent them from doing “substantial” work for a year or more, or who have a condition that is expected to result in death, and who have worked enough hours to earn Social Security credits to qualify for SSDI. Substantial work is generally considered earnings of $500.00 or more per month.

b. SSI – Supplemental Security Income. Paid to individuals who are at least 65 years old or disabled and have a low income and few assets. Children as well as adults qualify for SSI disability benefits. SSI is intended to supplement a person’s income and may be received in addition to Social Security Retirement or SSDI.

c. SSR – Social Security Retirement – Paid to retired individuals who are at least 62 years old and have worked enough hours to earn Social Security credits needed to qualify for retirement benefits.

For more information regarding Social Security benefits, refer to CS 734P-2 Notice to Withhold, Social Security Benefits.

257. Specified Relative – An individual who has physical and/or legal custody or guardianship of a child and is not that child’s parent (e.g., grandparent or aunt). Refer to Caretaker Other than Parent above.

258. SPLS – State Parent Locator Service. A unit within the State Child Support Enforcement Agency to locate NCPs in order to establish and enforce child support obligations, visitation, and custody orders or to establish paternity.

259. Spousal Support – Court ordered support of a spouse or ex-spouse. Also referred to as maintenance or alimony.

260. SSA – Social Security Administration.

261. SSN – Social Security Number.

262. Stale warrant – A warrant that has been voided because its ninety-day life expired before it was presented for cashing.

263. State Hospital Program – An ORS program that collects full or partial support for state hospital patients from the responsible parties.

264. Stipulation – A voluntary agreement signed by an individual in a civil or administrative action.

265. Sub-component – Functional groupings of elements (programs) within a component.

266. Subpoena – A process issued by a court compelling a witness to appear at a judicial or administrative proceeding. Sometimes the process will also direct the witness to bring documentary evidence to the court.

267. Sum-certain Judgment – A legal debt for an express sum of money, for a specific time period, which is awarded by a court or administrative body. This includes sum-certain judgments that are issued as the result of a UAPA NAA process, a UAPA Request for Agency Action (RAA) process, or a judicial process.

268. Summons – A notice to a defendant that an action against him or her has been commenced in the court issuing the summons and that a judgment will be taken against him or her if the complaint is not answered within a certain time.

269. Support Order – A judgment, decree, or order, whether temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or an administrative agency of a competent jurisdiction, for the support and maintenance of a child. This includes:

a. A child who has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing state;

b. Monetary support health care;

c. Payment of arrearages;

d. Reimbursement of costs and fees;

e. Interest and penalties; and,

f. Other forms of relief.

270. SURS – Surveillance Utilization Review System. The part of the Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) that contains medical claims information. Includes the amount the provider charged and the amount Medicaid paid.

271. TANF – Temporary Aid to Needy Families. Temporary financial, food stamp and medical aid available to eligible families. The federal government provides a block grant to each state with guidelines on how it can be distributed. Known as the Family Employment Project (FEP) in Utah.

272. Tax Intercept – The diversion of an NCP’s Federal or State tax refund to ORS for payment of a debt.

a. ORS teams and offices;

b. OFS/OSS offices;

c. Employers;

d. Insurance companies;

e. State agencies;

f. Courts;

g. Process servers;

h. Providers;

i. Intergovernmental central registries; and,

j. Genetic test labs.

273. Transaction – A record of the movement of money or liability on ORSIS. Many transactions may be included within a single journal event. For example, a journal event may include:

a. Post;

b. Allocate;

c. Distribute; and,

d. Disburse transactions.

274. Transfer – The online request to move money from one account to another. A transfer is recorded in its own journal event.

275. Tribunal – The court, administrative agency, or quasi-judicial agency authorized to establish or modify support orders or to determine parentage.

276. Two-State Action – Action a state must file under UIFSA guidelines when it does not have Long- Arm Jurisdiction (i.e., cannot legally claim personal jurisdiction over an NCP who lives in another state). This is usually in cases where a state is trying to establish an initial child support on behalf of a resident custodial party. Other actions, such as requesting wage withholding or reviewing and/or revising an existing support order, do not require a Two-State Action even if the initiating agency does not have Long-Arm Jurisdiction.

277. UAPA – Utah Administrative Procedures Act (U.C.A. 63G-4). Describes the administrative procedures for adjudicative proceedings, reconsideration, agency actions, and judicial review.

278. UI – Unemployment Insurance. Data on unemployment insurance applicant claimants submitted by SESAs on a quarterly basis to the NDNH. The data is then compared against child support order information contained in the FCR for possible enforcement of child support obligation.

279. UIFSA – Uniform Interstate Family Support Act. Laws enacted at the State level to provide mechanisms for establishing and enforcing child support obligations in intergovernmental cases (when an NCP lives in a different state than his/her child and the custodial party). Based on model legislation that was drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws to revise and replace the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act (URESA). Among the law’s provisions is the ability of state IV-D agencies to send withholding orders to employers across state lines. PRWORA mandated that all states adopt legislation requiring UIFSA be adopted, without modification by the state, January 1, 1998.

280. Unadjudicated Arrearage – Arrearages accrued under a child support order that have not been reduced to a sum-certain judgment or determined by an Administrative Order: Order and Decision. These arrearages appear as AUO/AUS debts on ORSIS.

281. URA – Unreimbursed Public Assistance. Money paid in the form of public assistance, (e.g., TANF or older AFDC expenditures) which have not yet been recovered from the NCP.

282. URESA – Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act. Repealed in July 1997 and replaced by UIFSA.

283. USDC – Utah State Development Center.

284. USSDS – Utah Social Services Delivery System. A computer system that automates some programs for DHHS, such as:

a. Foster Care;

b. Day Care; and,

c. HEAT.

285. Utah Debit MasterCard® Card – A debit card where child support disbursements may be electronically deposited for the obligee’s use in lieu of a mailed check or direct deposit.

286. Veteran’s Administration (VA) Benefits – VA pension benefits are considered to be “gratuities of Congress” and are considered to be means tested. VA disability benefits are based upon the NCP’s actual disability and are not considered to be means tested.

287. Wage Assignment – A voluntary agreement by an employee to transfer (or assign) portions of future wage payments, such as child support.

288. Wage Attachment – An involuntary transfer of a portion of an employee’s wage payment to satisfy a debt. In some states this term is used interchangeably with wage or Income Withholding, in other states there are distinctions between an attachment and withholding. The most common term used is Wage or Income Withholding.

289. Wage Withholding – A procedure by which scheduled deductions are automatically made from wages or income to pay a debt, such as child support. Wage withholding often is incorporated into the child support order and may be voluntary or involuntary. The provision dictates that an employer must withhold support from an NCP’s wage and transfer that withholding to the appropriate agency (State Disbursement Unit). Also known as income withholding.

290. Warrant – The term “warrant” may refer to either one of the following situations:

a. A voucher of an outgoing payment or receipt of money; or,

b. A judicial writ authorizing and ordering an officer to execute a judgment or make a search, seizure, or arrest.